When you visit, what can you expect?
Come as you are!
Worship involves Word and Sacrament.
-
The Proclaimed Word
Jeremiah had a special calling from the Lord and he spoke his word faithfully. In the book of Jeremiah chapter 23 beginning in verse 28, he says:
“Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord. 29 Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”
We strive here at CRPC to preach and teach the word of God faithfully. Our most cherished value is: LET THE TEXT SPEAK. Therefore, we should prepare our hearts to hear the word. It is God’s hammer. It comforts, but it convicts. It provides hope, yet it challenges. Our heart’s disposition should reflect the nature of hearing God’s word.
Whoever does not know the Scriptures does not know the power of God nor his wisdom. Ignoring the Scriptures means ignoring Christ. (Jerome, 345AD-419AD)
-
The Forgiving Word
Covenant renewal is the best way to look at the Lord’s Supper. God comes confirming and reasurring us of his promises and we come to receive and in a faith-responding motion we commit ourselves as God’s servants to the covenant he has graciously given to us.
It is similar to a wedding feast; indeed, at our heavenly gathering it is called ‘The Marriage Feast of the Lamb’. This celebration is an overture from the groom to the bride. If there is an emphasis to be had, it is one of a bride entering into the protective, gracious favor of a groom who has given his life on behalf of his bride.
The Lord's Supper is, therefore, anticipatory: it points beyond itself to something bigger than itself. In fact, the Lord's Supper is always saying, 'Till He come'; 'Till He come'. (E. F. Kevan, 1985)
-
The Baptized Word.
The Lord’s Supper is God’s call to covenant renewal - He pledges faithfulness to us as covenant Lord, and by his Spirit we pledge faithfulness to him as covenant servants. The waters of baptism portray ‘our entrance’ into this covenant relationship. This is a unique entrance, for it is an entrance into our death with him. We died with him, so that we might live in, with and through him. Baptism envelopes our entire existence - past, present and future. It is also our entrance into the covenant community. We are not rocks nor islands. We are a family.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4)